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Rorquacar
Rorquacar (ロークアカー Rokuaka) are large, mammalian predators native to the planet Hōheikyū. They are extremely rare, due to both natural factors and to extermination by the Mermaids of that planet. Due to their size, relatively high intelligence, and exhibition of a crude degree of control over ki, they are generally considered to be amongst the most dangerous non-sentient creatures known. The name Rorquacar is a portmanteau of "rorqual" (the word for whales that have the folded skin on their throats) and "raucar," which is demon in Quenya, the Lord of the Rings language. Overview Rorquacar are massive animals, dwarfing most buildings, and resemble some type of monstrous whale. Blind, they function via an acute sense of hearing, in addition to an extra sense that allows them to detect changes in pressure and currents and extrapolate their surroundings from that information. They have eight fns and a long tail that allow them to cut through the water at high speeds, and the increased maneuverability of the front pair of fins, along with two sturdy paddle-footed legs, allows them to walk along the seafloor as well, although they have difficulty supporting themselves on dry land for too long. Unlike the Mermaid, Rorquacar did not come to Hōheikyū from another planet, but instead evolved there. They were never common animals, due to a life cycle that ensured the death of most while still immature. Operating on a haplodiploid system, whereby young produced asexually are always male, the female of a species migrates out of her natural depths towards the surface during the mating season, because the temperatures there are more optimal for the pregnancy. Males that can sense the pressure changes that accompany her movement would follow her, instinctively knowing what it means, but due to the scarcity of Rorquacar, many females do not find a partner, and so many more males are born than females. The already-large young tend to attract mature males with the pressure changes they bring, and adult males consume any young not their own, thereby ensuring the survival of their own line. Because of this, it is not uncommon for one or none of the typically three-strong litter to survive. young Rorquacal, while still a rare sight, were relatively common near the surface of deep-water areas, but the fully-grown adults remained in the depths and were exceedingly rare. Upon the arrival of the Mermaids, many young were slain, once it was realized what they grew into, and so the only Rorquacal that remain are those that have retreated to the depths, or the largest and oldest ones, who typically abscond into crytptobiosis for long periods of time when conditions in their habitats turn inhospitable. Abilities Massive strength: As a simple byproduct of their size and muscles, Rorquacar are typically possessed of nearly unrivaled strength. A fully mature Rorquacar is capable of smashing coastal shelves and reefs if angered or hunting. When an elder emerges from cryptobiotic “hibernation”, entire tidal patterns can be disrupted by the waves and currents accompanying its awakening. Cryptobiosis: Rorquacar are one of the few organisms that can voluntarily entire a cryptobiotic state, slowing their metabolisms to almost nothing, essentially entering a hibernation so deep that they may as well be dead. It is unclear what level of control they have over this; their intelligence suggests that they are aware of what is happening when they enter the state, but it appears to be largely instinctive. When conditions become unfavorable, such as extreme heat, extreme cold, toxic matter, lack of water, or unfavorable pH of the water around them, they seem to enter this state involuntarily, in order to protect themselves. They exit it once circumstances return to normal, though there are tales of some remaining in this state for many years, until some stimulus prompts them to awaken. In addition, they are extremophiles, capable of surviving under inhospitable circumstances including radiation and both extremes of pressure. Ki: Rorquacar appear to have massive reserves of ki, but pitiful control over it, leading to nearly inexhaustible access to shockwaves of ki, but an inability to control these shockwaves beyond basic direction and strength, and no other abilities. Trivia *The Rorquacar species was created by User:Thepantheon for Darkrai's use, and thus all credit goes to him. :*He stated that using the language of Quenya seemed befitting to a creature that looked so insane. Category:Species Category:Races Category:Predators